Segregating apparatus



Apr. 3, 1923.

L. S. ROBINSON.

SEGREGATING APPARATUS.

FILED DEC. 30| 1918.

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LEO S. ROBINSON, F ALAMEDA, CALIEORNIA.

smanmmas am? Application filed December 30, 1918. Serial No. 268,974.

To all wko/m it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lno S. ROBINSON, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of the city of Alameda, county of Alameda,

State of California, have made a new and useful invention, to-Wit, aSegregating Apparatus, and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, concise, and exact de scription of the same.

This invention relates particularly to the means and the manner ofsegregating index cards, and will be described in that connection. I donot wish to be understood, however, as limiting this invention to thatpart-icular adaptation, because stencils, and any form of sheets orplates, hereinafter designated as units, may be similarly segregated.

Among the objects of this invention are to facilitate the introductionof segregating rods through the mass of perforated units with theminimum of resistance and injury or wear on the units and the apparatus.

In this specification and the annexed drawings, the invention isillustrated in the form considered to be the best, but it is to beunderstood that the invention is not limited to such form, because itmay be embodied in other forms, and it is also to be understood that inand by the claims following the description, it is desired to cover theinvention in whatsoever form it may be embodied.

It is often desirable to string cards and similar units on a rod. but inpractice it is found very difficult to insert a rod through a perforatedmass of cards without injuring the cards and it is found necessary tomake the holes in the cards very large and theI rod comparatively small.The cards.l if set in a tray or box similar to the ordinary index cardtray, take an incline or slant and fall in such positions that the holesin the cards are out of alignment.

This invention provides a simple method and means for introducing a rodthrough a mass of perforated cards, all of Which have been provided withregistering holes.

In the accompanying one sheet of drawings,

Fig. 1 is a cross section of a box or trav having perforated index cardstherein resting upon the bottom of the tray. This digrammaticallyillustrates the first step in the practice of this invention.

Fig. 2 is alongitudi'nal section of the same.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the second step in themethod.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the same.

Fig. 5` is a View similar toI Fig. 1 showing the final step in themanipulation of the card.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of the same.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary end view in cross section of the tray bottomhaving a moditied form of unit elevating means thereon, in theinoperative position.

l"ig. 8 is asimilar view of the same in the operatlve position.

Fig. 9 is a plane view of a modified form of unit. y

The drawings show the invention in its elementary form, the severalviews being diagrammatic. The invention is susceptible of variousmodifications to suit its various ape pheations in connection with cardsystems and the like. For further particulars, reference may be had tomy United States Patents bearing No. 1,223,113 dated April 17, 1917, and1,235,502 dated July 31, 1917 relating to card systems.

In detail the construction illustrated in the drawings includes,

A box or tray comprising the front 1, the back 2, the sides 3 and 4 andthe bottom formed 0f the strips 6 and 7, properly assembled to form atray or box open at'the top and having a longitudinal space or openlng 9in the bottom. lVhere the tray iS of considerable length, it may beprovided with a transverse partition intermediate the front and back 1and 2. The front and back are provided with the aligned holes 11 and 12respectively. These holes are arranged in a geometric pattern and in thepresent in. stance are made equal distances apart in horizontalandvertical rows.

The cards 13 are eut to stack-transversely within the tray withsuliicient lateral freedom to allow free play within the tray when beingmanipulated. These cards are provided with a series of master holes inthe same pattern that center perfectly with the holes 11 and 12. Thelateral margins of these cards are provided with the vertical guideslots 14 and 15.v The tops of these slots 14 and 15 are cut to alignhorizontally with their companion slots on the opposite margin of thecards. Certain of the master holes in vertical alignment are cuttogether rods 22, indicated by black dots, cannot be.

inserted through the'holes in the cards.

To facilitate the introduction of the guide rods 22 through the guideslots 14 and 15 the elevating block 23 is inserted in the opening 9between the bottom strips 6 and 7.

The thickness of this block is greater than the thickness of the bottomstrips 6 and 7 so that when the tray with the block therein is laid onthe table top X the stack of cards is elevated as shown in Fig. 3. Thiselevates the slots 14 and 15 well above the level of the rods 22 whichmay then be inserted through the holes 24 and 26 in the front and back land 2, and through their respective slots 14 and 15 in the cards. Theblock 23 is then removed which leaves the Whole stack of cards suspendedby the tops of the slots 14 and 15 on the rods 22 as shown in Figs. 5and 6.

Thus suspended on the rods each card hangs pendulum fashion, perfectlyvertical, with a consequent perfect alignment of all of the master holes17 through the cards; this also centers the master holes 17 in the cardswith the holes 11 and 12 in the front vand back 1 and 2 of the tray.Thus suspended, the segregation rods 21 may easily be threaded throughthe openings 11 and 12 and the master openings 17 in the tray and thecards respectively.

By this arrangement of suspending the cards, extreme accuracy can beattained in aligning the master hole 17 and maintaining parallel theopposite plane surfaces of the cards, This is not possible where thecards rest upon their bottom edges 19 and become warped by their ownweight and the leaning or inclination that they are bound to take inthus standing. It is necessary in effecting segregation that these cardsslide freely one upon the other. It is important therefore, that thefrictional contact between the surfaces of the cards be reduced to theminimum. This is also a beneficial result following the suspensionY ofthe cards on the guide rods 22 as described.

The perfect, registering alinement of the master holes in the assembledcards avoids any frictional resistance to the passage therethrough ofthe various rods. This reduces wear and tear on the cards and preventsenlargement of the various holes and slots, that would result if theoperator used violence in forcing the -rods through'a resisting cardassembly wherein each unit was not. so accurately alined.

In effecting segregation of certain designated cards from the mass ofcards all the cards having slots, such as 18, that are in horizontalalignment can be moved upward with respect to the segregation rods 21pass ing through the uppervportion of the slots 18, such slotted cardsbeing movable with respect to'their rod, whereas the unslotted cards areheld down because of the master holes engaging the segregation rods.

Separation of the slotted cards may be effected by inverting the draweror tray,such slotted cards fallin by gravity and agitation to the limitof t e length of their respective slots, which is a distance equal tothe distance between the horizontal rows of master holes. The lowercards may be held in this extended position by inserting anothersegregation rod above the bottoms 19 of said cards, then returning thetray to the upright position, such segregated cards remaining extendedabove the unslotted cards, engaging the segregation rods.

The slots 18 formed in any one of the cards have a specific significancedetermined by their location in the card. In this manner any classifiedcards may be segregated at will by introducing segregation rods atappropriate locations.

As a substitute for the elevating block 23, a modification isillustrated in Figs. 7 and 8. This consists of the longitudinal strips28 pivoted on the pins 29 passing through the brackets 31 fixed at 32 tothe end of the bottom strips 6 and 7 between the ends of the strips 6and 7 and the ends of the tray land 2. The ends of these strips 28 maybe provided with small round-headed studs such as 33 adapted to engage ahole at 34 in the end of the strip 31 to act as a catch t0 maintain thestrips 28 in their respective positions. The strips 28 are rotatableupon their pivots 29 and are slightly wider than they are thick, so thatthey may be turned into the positions indicated at Fig. 8 with thegreater width vertical, thus elevating the mass of cards above thebottom strips 6 and 7 performing the same function as the elevatingblock 23 by means of devices assembled permanently within the indextray.

Fig. 9 illustrates a modified unit, applicable to the segregation ofaddress stencils. The lugs 14 and 15 having notches thereunder to engagethe guide rods 22, perform the same function as the slots 14 and 15. Themaster holes 17' can be cut together to form classification slots as at18', the mode of operation being the same as previously described. Othermodifications within the spirit of this invention will suggestthemselves to those skilled in the practice of this art.

Having thus described this invention, what I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent iszl. A segregating apparatus comprising supportingmeans having support rods therein; units having master holes therein,and slots engaging said support rods and suspended thereby, whereby saidmaster holes are a'lined; and segregation rods insertible through saidsupporting means and said alined master holes.

2. A segrevating apparatus comprising a tray; removaile support rods insaid tray; units adapted to be arranged in said tray having slotstherein; means for elevating Said units to permit the support rods beingpassed through the slots in said units and support the units when theelevating means has been removed.

3. A segregating apparatus comprising a tray having alined holes in itsopposite ends; units having' slots therein out of alinementwith saidholes when the bottom edges of said units rest upon the bottom of saidtray; means for elevating said units until said slots aline with, saidholes, a-nd rods adapted to be passed through said holes and said slots.

4. A segregating apparatus comprising a tray having a plurality ofaligned support rod holes and segregation rod holes in its oppositeends; cards having support rod slots and segregation rod slots therein;means for elevating said cards to place the slots therein in alignmentWith the holes in the opposite ends of said tray; support rods adaptedto be passed through the aligned holes in the opposite ends of the trayand through the support rod slots in said cards; segregation rodsadapted to be passed through the aligned holes in the opposite ends ofthe tray and through the segregation slots in said cards.

5. A segregating apparatus comprising a tray having support rod holesand segregation rod holes alined in its opposite ends; units havingsupport rod slots and master holes therethrough so arranged that they donot register respectively with said support rod holes and segregatlonrod holes in said tray when said units rest vertically on the bottom ofsaid tray; means for elevating said units; rods insertible through saidsupport rod holes and support rod slots when the units are so elevated;and rods insertable through said segregation rod holes and said masterholes after said elevating means has been removed.

6. A segregating apparatus comprising a. tray having removablesupporting means therein; units having apertures therein adapted to bearranged in said tray; means for elevating said units with respect tosaid support means whereby said supporting means may be passed throughthe apertures in said units When the same are in the elevated posit-ionand may suspend the units.

thereon, after the elevating means Ahas been removed.

7. A segregating apparatus comprising a tray having aligned holes in itsopposite ends; units, adapte'd to be arranged in said tray, having holesand slots therein; means for elevating said units in said tray andsegregation rods adapted to pass through certain of the aligned holes insaid tray and the slots in said units and rods adapted to pass throughothers of the aligned holes in said tray and in said units when theelevating means has been removed.

8. A segregating apparatus comprising a tray having support rod holesand segregation rod holes aligned in its opposite ends; units havingsupport rod slots and segregation rod holes and slots therein normallyout of registry with the support and segregation rod holes in the tray;means for elevatingr said units; rods adapted to pass through saidsupport rod holes and unit support rod slots, when said units areelevated; and rods adapted to be passed through said segregation rodholes and unit segregation rod holes and slots when the elevating meanshas been removed.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set -a LEO S. ROBINSON.

In presence of- A. J. HENRI, LINCOLN V. JOHNSON.

